Human Development Report 2022

Human Development Report 2022

GS-3: Human Development Report

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for Prelims:

Human Development Index-2022, Gender Inequality Index (GII), Life Expectancy.

Important for Mains:

Human Development Report (HDR) 2022- Key Highlights, India's Performance, Overall Analysis.

15/03/2024

Why in news:

Recently, the United Nations has released the Human Development Report (HDR) 2022 based on which India's human development has relatively improved compared to the previous year.

Human Development Report (HDR) 2022

Key Features:

  • This Human Development Report (HDR) has been published with the title 'Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World'.
  • It analyzes countries on the basis of gross national income per capita, education, and life expectancy.
  • Theme of Human Development Index, 2021-22: “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a World in Transformation”.

India's performance

Human Development Index (HDI):

  • India has been ranked 134th among 193 countries in the latest Human Development Index (HDI) released by the United Nations.
  • Based on the data of the year 2022, India has been given a total score of 0.644 in this index. This index places India in the category of countries with medium human development.
  • India's HDI value in the year 2021 was 0.633, which was less than the world average of 0.732. India was ranked 132nd in the Human Development Index released in the year 2021.
  • India's score has improved by 0.011 points compared to 2021.

Life expectancy:

  • Life expectancy in the year 2022 was recorded at 67.7 years.
  • India's life expectancy at birth in the year 2021 was recorded at 67.2 years.

School Education:

  • Expected years of schooling reached 12.6 in 2022, while average years of schooling increased to 6.57.
  • Expected years of schooling in 2021 were recorded at 11.9 years and average years of schooling was 6.7 years.

Gross National Income:

  • Per capita gross national income will reach US $ 6,951 in the year 2022.
  • In Indian currency this amount is approximately ₹5.75 lakh.
  • Per capita gross national income in the year 2021 was US $ 6,590.

Gender Inequality Index (GII):

  • In the year 2022, India's Gender Inequality Index (GII) stood at 0.437, India has registered progress in this index. In the year 2022, India was ranked 108th.
  • India was ranked 122nd in the Gender Inequality Index in the year 2021.
  • India's performance has been better compared to the global average of 0.462 and the South Asian average of 0.478.
  • It is noteworthy that the low value of this index indicates that the inequality between women and men is less.

Global Scenario:

Countries with High Human Development Index:

  • Countries like Switzerland, Norway and Iceland lead in human development indicators at the national level.

Countries with low Human Development Index:

  • Countries like Central African Republic, South Sudan, Somalia, Niger, Chad, Mali, Burundi, Yemen, Burkina Faso are still far behind.

About Human Development Report:

  • This report is issued by UNDP (established on 22 November 1965, Headquarter – New York) since 1990.
  • This report explores various topics through a human development perspective.
  • Aim: Its aim is to contribute to the expansion of opportunities, choices and freedom.

Human Development Index:

  • HDI is a composite index that specifically helps in setting Sustainable Development Goals through four indicators:
  • Life expectancy at birth – Sustainable Development Goal 3
  • Expected years of schooling – Sustainable Development Goal 4.3
  • Average years of schooling – Sustainable Development Goal 4.4
  • Gross National Income (GNI) – Sustainable Development Goal 8.5

Overall analysis of the report:

  • This Human Development Index measures three major dimensions of human development: healthy longevity, access to education and quality of life. These are calculated based on four key indicators: life expectancy, average schooling, expected years of schooling and gross national income per capita.
  • Compared to 2019, India has registered significant progress in human development. Where since 1990, life expectancy at birth in the country has increased by 9.1 years. Similarly, the expected years of schooling has increased by 4.6 years. Not only this, an increase of 3.8 years has also been recorded in the average years of schooling during this period.
  • It is noteworthy that earlier in the Human Development Index (HDI) released for 2019, India was ranked 131st in the list of 189 countries. Last year, India was at 130th position in this list. Somewhere this also shows that India is continuously coming down in this list.
  • According to the data, where globally the life expectancy at birth in 2022 was recorded at 67.7 years. Whereas in 2019 this figure was recorded at 70.9 years while in 2021 it was recorded at 67.2 years. In such a situation, if compared with 2019, the average life expectancy in the country has declined by 3.2 years.
  • If seen, the trends that emerged at the global level in terms of life expectancy can also be clearly seen in the data related to India. Corona was somehow responsible for this, which has caused a deep blow to the life expectancy in the country.
  • According to the data, if we look at the average years of education in the country, it was recorded at 6.57 years in 2022. Let us tell you that in 2021 this figure was recorded at 6.7 years. However, there has been an increase in the expected years of schooling in the country, which increased from 11.9 years in 2021 to 12.6 years in 2022.
  • Similarly, if we look at the data related to gross national income per capita in the country, it has been recorded at $ 6,951. Whereas in 2021 it was recorded at $6,590. This means that it has registered an increase compared to last year. According to the data, if we look at the values of India's Human Development Index between 1990 and 2022, it has increased from 0.434 to 0.644. This means that there has been a change of 48.4 percent in these three decades.
  • The growing inequality gap between rich and deprived communities.
  • While a big decline was recorded in the path of human development due to the Corona epidemic in 2020, 2021, the train is back on track in 2023. This is why global human development has reached record levels, but at the same time the inequality gap between rich and deprived communities has deepened.
  • While there has been unprecedented growth in rich countries, almost half of the world's weakest countries have fallen below their pre-Covid crisis levels in development. Let us tell you that out of the 35 weakest countries that recorded a decline in their Human Development Index in 2020 or 2021, 18 have not yet returned to the 2019 level. According to the report, due to this disparity in the path of development, the weakest countries are being left behind. This is increasing inequalities and giving rise to political polarization.
  • Overall, the situation is worst in African countries.
  • If we talk about all the 38 countries of OECD, then all of them have performed better in Human Development Index in 2023 as compared to 2019. The biggest loss to human development has occurred in Afghanistan and Ukraine. The Human Development Index in Afghanistan has reached its level of 10 years ago, while in Ukraine it is at its lowest level since 2004.
  • At the same time, all developing regions have not been able to fulfill their potential according to the trends of Human Development Index before 2019, and there is a risk of setback to their development process in the future also.
  • According to the report, Covid-19, the ongoing war in Ukraine and factors related to climate change and environment are responsible for this. All these together have had a huge impact on people's lives; political, financial and climate related crises have not given the population suffering from Corona a chance to recover.

Source: Down to Earth

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Mains Question:

Critically analyze the Human Development Report 2022.